Did you know that babies can have fits of hiccups already in the womb? Hiccups are a fairly common phenomenon in children under one year of age. It consists of repeated contraction of the diaphragm and usually passes after some time. However, if the hiccup seems to be bothering the baby or the attack occurs during meals, there are some tricks to make it go away quickly. If you want to know how to calm your baby's hiccups, read the following.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Method 1: Change Habits During Feeding
Step 1. Slow down the feeding
When a baby quickly ingests too much milk, his stomach dilates, favoring the contraction of the diaphragm. Feed the baby more slowly, giving him milk twice, instead of giving him a large amount right away. In this way, the baby will ingest less food at a time, nipping in the bud (or at least hopefully) the possibility of him starting to sob.
Step 2. Halfway through the feed, stop and have the baby burp
Another way to make the meal more digestible is to take a break mid-feed. Before moving the baby from breast to breast, stop to make him burp. If you are using a bottle, stop when its contents are about halfway through. This will cause the baby to digest some of what he ate, reducing the risk of overfilling and starting to sob.
Step 3. Place the baby upright while feeding
If you swallow too much air during the feed, the baby's stomach may begin to dilate. In these cases, changing the baby's position could be a good solution. Putting it straight while feeding (at a 30-45 degree angle) prevents air from getting stuck in the stomach, thus preventing the diaphragm from starting to contract.
Step 4. Make sure the baby is feeding properly
If the baby's mouth does not fit snugly against the breast, he may swallow air during the meal. Do you hear gurgling or sobbing during the feed? If so, learn the techniques necessary to make the baby's mouth adhere to the breast in the best way.
Step 5. Use the bottle correctly
Holding the bottle at a 45 degree angle causes air to settle to the bottom of the bottle, reducing the risk of your baby swallowing it. You can also buy a special bottle designed to keep as little air inside as possible.
Method 2 of 3: Method 2: Non-Certified Remedies
Step 1. Try some sugar
Put some sugar on a hickey or on your finger. That this method works is not proven, but it costs nothing to try. Lick your finger / hickey and dip it into a bowl full of sugar. Getting the baby to suck should make the hiccups go away.
Step 2. Massage the baby's back
Lay the baby down with his back facing up and let him move for some time; this should partly free him from the air bubbles that cause him to sob. Now gently massage his back until the hiccups go away completely.
Step 3. Make him burp
This should rid the baby of excess gas. The baby should give one last hiccup louder than the others before quitting altogether.
Step 4. Never try improvised remedies
There are a lot of "grandma's" remedies out there that are passed off as effective. These methods not only don't work, they can even harm the baby. Never try any of these remedies:
- "Scare" the child by making a sudden noise.
- Pat him on the back.
- Press his eyes.
- Pull his tongue.
Method 3 of 3: Method 3: Finding out if the baby has reflux
Step 1. Look at other symptoms
Sometimes hiccups are caused by gastroesophageal reflux. This is a common disease that causes the baby to regurgitate stomach contents into the esophagus. This is quite painful and causes fits of hiccups. If the baby has hiccups a little too frequently, it could be this condition. Here are the symptoms to watch out for:
- Colic
- Stomach pains
- Frequent vomiting
Step 2. Consult your pediatrician
If you suspect that your baby has reflux, contact a pediatrician to give him the necessary treatment. Often the disorder is temporary and your doctor may advise you to let it pass without any specific intervention.
